Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Gaelic Maundeville (Author: John Maundeville)

paragraph 31

Of the Way from Constantinople to Jerusalem

Now whosoever desires to fare from Constantinople to Jerusalem, through Turkey, goes toward the city of Nicaea and passes through the Gate called Songchod (Cibotus). It is a mile and a half from Nicaea up hill, and thence as far as the great sea which is called the Arm of Saint George, and thence to (a place, Myra) where Saint Nicholas is buried, and thence as far as an island called Silo (Chios). Mastic grows in this island on small trees like sloes or cherries. And thence to


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the island Patmos, where John the Evangelist wrote the Apocalypse; and know that John was a man of thirty-two years when the Lord received his death, and that after Him he remained alive for three score and ten years. And from Patmos to Ephesus, a fair city belonging to John, and he hath a beautiful church therein. And John himself ordered a tomb to be made for him near the high altar, and when he saw that it was time for him, he entered it, and ordered it to be closed upon him, and so was it done. And when the tomb was again looked at, nought was found therein save manna; and men say that the body was carried thence into Paradise. And that city and the whole of Asia Minor are now in the hands of the Turks. The likeness of live men is often seen under that tomb of John.